Throughout the month of August, WHAV provides a daily report counting down to the first day of school in Greater Haverhill.
Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School will spend $23.6 million in fiscal year 2018, an increase over FY 2017 of nearly 4 percent. The 11 communities that send students to Whittier will pay assessments totaling $14.3 million, a 4.5 percent increase over last year.
Haverhill sends 804 of the 1,228 total student population, and will pay the largest share of the assessment, at $7.8 million. This includes a $195,000 share of a $495,000 capital expenditure to replace boilers and electrical panels and repair the school’s greenhouse.
In addition to Haverhill, Whittier accepts students from Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Ipswich, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury. The school is located on Amesbury Line Road in Haverhill.
Tryouts for the Whittier Tech Wildcats golf team take place Aug. 28 through 31 for the 12 players who will be chosen to play on a co-op team with Georgetown High.
After tryouts on Aug. 28 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Murphy’s Garrison Golf Center in Haverhill and Aug. 29, 30, and 31 from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at Crystal Lake Golf Course, also in Haverhill, the top 12 players will make the Whittier/Georgetown team. Four additional golfers will be placed on the practice squad.
Prospective players and their parents may contact Head Coach Chris Young with questions.
Bradford Christian Academy plans open houses for lower school, high school and international students before the start of the school year on Tuesday, Aug. 29.
New international students will visit the school on Thursday, Aug. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parents will receive more information and a schedule in an email before the orientation date.
All other students will attend orientation on Monday, Aug. 28. Grades 1-4 are scheduled from 11:30 to 12:30; Grades 5-8 from 9 to 11 a.m.; Grades 9-12 from noon to 3 p.m. Parents are invited for tours at 2:30 p.m.
Bradford Christian Academy’s lower school is located at 97 Oxford Ave. The high school is at 514 Main St.
Methuen High School’s academic offerings in the technology area continue to grow. MHS offers Engineering and Robotics for the first time this year, which will include all aspects of the VEX Robotics curriculum and competitions.
Students will have access to the first course of a three-course pathway for computer science. The courses are Exploring Computer Science, Principles of Computer Science and AP Computer Science. This is a state- and nationally recognized pathway aligned with the standards that lead to the Advanced Placement course.
The high school’s state-of-the-art Innovation Lab opens this fall. The district received $175,000 in Capitol Skills Grant funding to build the lab, which will provide opportunities in coding, engineering and robotics that support the STEM content areas and two approved career and technology education courses: Web Design/Programming and Biotechnology.
For the fifth year, Methuen High will continue its one-to-one iPad program, which provides an iPad to every student. For the first time, distribution will commence before the start of school, beginning on Aug. 17 at Freshman Orientation.
Haverhill Public Schools open their doors to students in grades 1 through 12 on Tuesday, Aug. 29. Kindergarten begins Sept. 5. All Haverhill students will attend for a half-day on Friday, Sept. 1, and enjoy a day off for Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 4.
Regional first days are:
Pentucket: Aug. 31
Timberlane: Aug. 31
Methuen: Aug. 29
Whittier: Aug. 29 for freshmen and new students; Aug. 30 for all students
Do you have a submission for the Back-to-School Countdown? Email information to [email protected]. Tune in tomorrow for more back-to-school information.